


Ghost Whispers

by obscureanarchy



Category: Psycho-Pass
Genre: F/F, F/M, Influenced heavily by Ghost in the Shell, Inspired by Sprawl trilogy (WIlliam Gibson), Love Triangles, M/M, Original Character(s), Psychological Drama, Romance, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-28
Updated: 2015-02-09
Packaged: 2018-03-09 11:12:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3247541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obscureanarchy/pseuds/obscureanarchy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a mysterious group poses a threat to everything the Sybil System stands for, Division 1 is tasked to find and eliminate these potentially dangerous figures.  The task is more daunting than it initially seems; SYBIL meets its' match with a young child whose Crime-Coefficient cannot be read, much like the What Color Case.  She appears only to Akane however and tasks the Inspector with finding her "deep inside the Net."  When a ghost whispers, should you whisper back?  Or do you remain aware of its presence, yet silent?  Takes place after the events of Psycho-Pass 2 but before the movie. (Title was formerly Psycho Pass: Mona Lisa Overdrive, but I found it too wordy)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First Movement

**Author's Note:**

> I've created a few terms that aren't in the show just for this story, so I'll define them here to when you see them in the chapter, you'll understand them a bit better! This chapter doesn't really have any that need further explanation.

The year is 2114, though the new year is right around the corner.  The quiet sound of snowflakes melting on a windowpane is the only sound other than the constant clacking of a keyboard.  With a long, final push of the Enter key and a hefty sigh, Akane Tsunemori stretches her arms above her head and lets them collapse at her sides.

"Finally, that report is over!  Thought it would never end," Akane mutters aloud, head back and eyes closed.  A string of small crimes has kept her on her toes lately, which is both a good and bad thing.  Originally, Akane was meant to take a short leave of absence from the MWPSB after the WC Case came to a close.  The death of her grandmother, the mental and emotional manipulation of Sakuya and Misako Togane, of SYBIL... they had obviously taken a toll on her.  Despite her parents' objections, Akane returned only two days after Aoi's funeral.  

" _Sitting around feeling sorry for myself-- my division needs me and I do not have time to waste."_  That was her logic.  Some would find it crazy.  Others, endearing.  She was dedicated to her work as a detective, dedicated to helping maintain order and peace in this society.  Inspector Akane Tsunemori, bruised but not broken.  Her Psycho-Pass was a clear sign of that.

"Akane-chan!  The MWPSB has recommended news for you to watch, shall I play it for you~?"  The jovial jellyfish hovered above her, doing its usual antics.  Akane nodded silently and sat forward, spinning her chair slightly to face the television.

 

> "In regards to the recent recalls of items purchased from the new and popular Commu-Field headset developers SEITO and Fancy LA-LA, both companies have issued statements that any computers, Commu-Field headsets and wireless gloves, communication devices, and other items purchased in the three months of the respective companies opening can be brought in for maintenance anytime at no cost.  They stress the importance of the maintenance, even of items that do not show signs of any issues.  These technologies have been revealed to be faulty in terms of consumer protection and many hacking incidents have occurred as a result of those product weaknesses.  Both companies are subsidiaries of the larger JUNIPER Technology Systems, which has come under public scrutiny due to the hacking incidents that occurred last month that resulted in the disruption of TeleComm and Commu-Field services..."  _  
> _

_I'm surprised that the news is being so honest about the situation... though they omitted the more detrimental details, I never thought they'd throw JUNIPER under the bus like that.  I suppose that was the MWPSB's way of putting pressure on them to recover all the infected software._ Akane thought to herself.   _JUNIPER Technology Systems's owner, Ringo Kirishima, had a tight lip on her... I'm surprised she buckled to our demands so quickly!_

The case was obvious.  JUNIPER developed cheap software and provided them to their new subsidiaries.  SEITO and Fancy La-La then utilized them in their products, lowering the price on their items to reel in a crowd of younger consumers.  This software had faulty virus protection and was easily susceptible to any invasive attacks made by the hackers that have been terrorizing the Net as of late.  These viruses were capable of rendering a person's Commu-Field set, interior and exterior Holo-Displays, and anything connected to their computers completely useless, thus forcing people used to this society of advanced technology to go without it and cause a slow but sharp rise in Crime-Coefficients by those affected.  Anyone who was suddenly cut-off from everything their society was based on would panic and think dangerously.  While the case seemed simple enough, Chief Kasei called Tsunemori in privately.

> " _I want you to take caution in this case, Inspector."_
> 
> _"And why is that?"_
> 
> _"... These once isolated incidents are now rapidly reproducing and are causing quick, silent spread of Psycho-Hazard..."_
> 
> _"... It's something that SYBIL once did not think could happen: people that are not necessarily in contact with another yet affected by the same issue all have a rise in stress and as a result, their Crime-Coefficients raise as well.  Because they are all related to the same issue, it is no longer considered a separate case..."_
> 
> _"Exactly.  It's troubling to think that with however many headsets and TeleComm-connected devices were distributed in the last three months can all cause this issue.  Whatever is behind this cyber attack must have wanted this to happen..."_

" _What_ ever... not _who_ ever... does Chief Kasei have an idea about what caused these incidents?"  Akane stood up and pulled the straps of her nightgown off, letting it slide to the floor.  She pressed the button on the wall, turning off the interior Holo of the room; the new apartment was actually quite nice without it and some days she even preferred it over her usually cute and somewhat regal Holo-Display.  Striding into the shower, Akane thought about the case.  The warm rush of water streaming over her skin was a relief; it was as if the steam obscured and the pitter-patter of water drops drowned out the sound of any thoughts in her head, the water washed away her worries and ebbed the tension from her bones.  Closing her eyes to focus on the shower, Akane felt at ease for once in the last few days.  Within seconds however, the familiar sound of her communicator ringing disrupted her peace.  The knobs screeched, as if they were hurt by Akane's decision to turn the water off.  Toweling herself off, Akane sighed and shook a few drops of water from her hair before stepping out into the hallway to grab her communicator off the end-table.

"H-Huh?"

As if it sensed her finger ready to swipe, the call simply stopped.   _Not important, I guess._ Akane sighed and pulled the towel from around her shoulders and wrapped it around herself before moving to turn.

Her breath hitched in the back of her throat sharply.  She stopped moving, but let her eyes reluctantly gaze towards her living room.  A shadow had moved suddenly in her eyesight.  Quietly, Akane put the communicator on her wrist, then felt under the end-table cautiously for a knife she had taped to the underside.  When she put it there, she did it on a whim.  It seemed silly in this day and age, crazy... paranoid.  She was all of the above, she thought.  But she had every right to be, living the life she led.   _Guess all that paranoia is paying off_. _  
_

Creeping quietly down the short corridor, Akane barely breathed.  The shadow was still there; it was still now and from the size and proximity to her, the owner of the shadow would be around the corner. _Calling for backup... should I have done that?  Too late for that, I suppose._

Tsunemori tightened her grip in her towel and pressed herself against the wall.   _On the count of three..._

_One..._

A bead of water dripped from her hair onto the cheek and slid like perspiration.

_Two..._

The grip of the small knife would fuse itself to her hand at the rate of the intensity she grasped it with.

_... Three!_

She slid out quickly and took a two-handed stance with the knife, holding it straight out in front off her as if she were holding a Dominator.

...  _Nothing?_

"... I guess, I really am parano--"

"Hello there."

Akane's blood ran cold.  The sound came from her living area.  Turning her head slowly, she looked into the space, unprepared for what she'd see. There, sitting in the chair she so recently occupied, sat a small silhouette, only the white of its eyes glared back at her.  The silhouette then grinned and cocked its head to the side.

_... I'm going crazy, aren't I...?_

 


	2. Ghost Whispers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When a ghost whispers, should you answer?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things to Know So Far:
> 
> JUNIPER - A company known for manufacturing and distributing parts for use in Commu-Field machinery. Parent company of SEITO and Fancy La-La, two tech distributors recently opened.
> 
> TELECOMM - Short for "telecommunications," any device used in Psycho-Pass to communicate via technology is under this catergory; i.e. cell phones, computers, wristwatch communicators, etc.

"You can't see me in the dark, can you?  You can turn on the light, Tsunemori-san!"

Akane, bewildered, stood blinking, knife now pointing at the figure seated before her.   _It... wants me to see it?  If you're going to break into someone's home, you do not want to be identified, right?_

"W-Who are you?"

"If I answered that now, would it make any difference?"

"..."

Without moving her eyes, Akane reached for the light switch with one hand and flicked it.  She gasped when the intruder was illuminated; it was what she least expected, a pretty and fairly young girl.  She had fair skin and brown, cropped hair with barrettes pinning part of her bangs out of her face.  She sported a red plaid parka over a white shirt, tucked into a black skirt, and wore black thigh highs to match with brown boots.  Akane thought the girl looked similar to herself as a child, but quickly shook the nostalgic thoughts from her head.  The child started swinging her feet innocently, toying with an idle thread dangling from her skirt.   _Dreaming.  Am I dreaming?  This isn't real... this child, she can not be real._

"Now answer, who are you and how did you get in here without tripping my alarms?"

"Kaeru.  Ido Kaeru~"

"Kaeru-chan, how do you know my--"

"Your backdoor was open, so I came in!"

"... No, you did not.  There are three levels of security on all of my doors, including that--"

"Not thaaat door, the other one!"

 _Other one?_ "What 'other' door, Kaeru-chan?  There are only two doors that lead to the outside... and I assume you didn't scale this apartment building to get in, right?"

"Nevermind that! Let's play a game, Tsunemori-san! Hide-and-Go-Seek, okay?  I'll hide, you seek!"

Before she could react, the girl stood in front of her, smiling from ear to ear.  She smacked the inner part of Akane's wrist, causing her to be instantly disarmed.  The child, stronger than she looks, clamped her hand around her wrist and tugged Akane down to her eye level and stared in her eyes; at first, her eyes had a glimmer of child-like mischievousness but it quickly changed to that of something colder than the snowfall outdoors.  Akane pulled back her arm sharply and lunged quickly for the knife.  As soon as she hit the ground, she spun and swung the blade in the direction of the child but was astonished to find nothing there.  Not one sign of the little girl that was in the room.

"Are you distressed, Akane-chan?  Your Psycho-Pass had an irregular jump!"

Akane jumped at the sound of Candy chattering above her head.

"Candy, do a check of the surveillance system and check if my doors were left unlocked at any point in the last 24 hours."

"Yes ma'am! One moment, please~!"

Silence permeated the room as Akane waited for the results.

"Check complete!  No disruptions to the surveillance system, other than when it was disarmed by _Authorized User: Tsunemori Akane_ for entry and exit!  All entry and exits were checked-- no signs of any unauthorized entry and all doors were locked after opening as per your security standards!"

"Check again, please. And be thorough."

"Right!  One moment, please~!"

Akane walked cautiously back into the hall, glancing towards the bathroom and then into her kitchen.  Nothing.  After a few minutes of searching, Akane went back into the living room and towards the balcony, pulling on the sliding door.  It resisted against her-- locked. _  
_

"Check complete!  No disruptions to the surveillance system, other than when it--"

"ONCE MORE!"

"O-Oh... okay!  I'll reset to ensure that my data is unaffected by any other processes running in the background!  Soft Reset complete!  Beginning check..."

Akane sighed heavily, defeated.  "Cancel action, Candy."   _I guess... I can't tell anyone a little girl broke into my house and disarmed me, right?_ _  
_

* * *

 

 

"That concludes my report, Inspector."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"... I-Inspector?  Inspector Tsunemori?!"

"... Oh... yes?  Sorry, did you say something?"

The young inspector sighed exasperatedly and put a hand on her hip.

"I just finished my report.  Maybe I should just send my reports directly to the Chief... it's getting nowhere if I talk to you--"

"I'm so sorry, Mika!  I had a long night... didn't get much sleep..."

"Hmmph!  Am I right to assume that because you're so tired, you'll be leaving early today?"

"Right.  Sorry!  I'll finish up my part of the report and send them both off before I leave, okay?"

"Don't bother.  I wouldn't want your fatigue to affect the clarity of the report.  Just go home already..."

Mika huffed and strode back to her desk, annoyed.  The Enforcers tried to listen inconspicuously but failed miserably, especially Ginoza.  He trained his eye from Shimotsuki to Tsunemori's desk quietly, then let his gaze linger long enough to catch the senior Inspector's tired one.

"A-Ah... Ginoza-san?"

"... She's right.  You should get some rest.  The report can wait, Inspector."

They stared at each other for a few quiet seconds before breaking away and back to their work.  The spectacle did not go unnoticed; Mika watched them with curious eyes and arms crossed, then blushed when Yayoi made a motion for her to look away with her head.  After a few minutes, Akane put her hands on her desk and stood up, sighing wearily.

"I'm going for a cup of coffee.  Yayoi, can you join me?"  Yayoi looked up at Akane and smiled softly, then stood up and walked to the doorway.  Ginoza, while facing the computer, let his eyes move in time with Akane walking by his desk.

"Why do you have to take Kunizuka-san with you?  We have enough work to do here!"

"Inspector Shimotsuki.  I'll take a short reprieve, if that's alright with you."

Mika gasped quietly then pouted.  She could never stay angry at Yayoi, however, and soon relented, though she glared at Akane as the women exited.

"I will also take a break."  Ginoza said several minutes later, much to the chagrin of his supervising Inspector.  He almost felt bad, leaving Hinakawa to the whims of Shimotsuki, but his worries took priority at the moment.   _Akane hasn't been sleeping, it's clear.  She's putting her Psycho Pass at risk of contamination if she does not go home and stop stressing out about whatever she has on her mind..._

 

* * *

 

"A ghost?"

"That's what it sounds like to me, at least.  Creepy children don't just show up in your house and say "Let's play a game!" and disappear in the same instance.  Horror films are usually not recommended by Sybil-- be careful when watching them because they can affect your Psycho Pass negatively, to the point it affects your dreams and--"

"But I didn't watch anything like that!  Just the video the Bureau recommended on the last case and nothing else!  I took a shower and that was it-- then the girl showed up!"

Yayoi sipped her coffee, her eyes watching the girl over the brim of the mug.   _She's definitely spooked by this.  It's not natural._

"Okay.  So let's say it really was there-- the kid in your apartment.  How did she get in?"

"... I don't know.  My security was up and running, nothing came in.  I made sure to check multiple times... I could barely sleep, Yayoi-san!  I didn't want to fall asleep and she came back."

"So she managed to get in without tripping an alarm then?"

"She... she said that she... came in through another door.  A backdoor.  But it was impossible... there's only one backdoor and it was clearly locked with no signs of forced entry."

"Did you report the inciden--"

"No.  And we're not going to.  I don't need them to move me to another apartment when I've barely been in this one for a few months... I won't sleep any easier, so please... do not report it."

Yayoi sighed, staring into her coffee and shrugging her shoulders.

"That's foolish, Inspector.  A few months have passed but we have not forgotten how you put yourself in danger by staying in an unsafe apartment."

Akane nearly spat out her drink.  From behind them, Ginoza stood with his back against a wall near the coffee vending machine, staring angrily and tapping a metal finger on his crossed arm.

"The incident must be reported.  If you're in danger again then we--"

"No.  I appreciate your concern, do not get me wrong, but I cannot report this just yet.  I need to figure out what really happened before an investigation gets launched and goes nowhere!  There's no evidence that anyone even broke in, Ginoza-san.  I could have been hallucinating... maybe the steam from the shower... but then again, she grabbed me.  I swear, I felt her..."

"... Inspector, these thoughts will damage your Psycho Pass.  Please, you should relax... you need to rest."

"Well, I can't sleep in the apartment.  Not because I don't feel safe, but because I want to be awake if it returns..."

"Tsunemori..."

The dialogue between them sounded less like a concerned coworker talking to a superior and more like close friends caring for one another, Yayoi thought.   _At this rate, he might as well confess.  His eyes are speaking more than he is._  Yayoi coughed to break the intense, silent staring contest.

"Well, you should try to get some rest here.  I'll talk to Shion about your 'ghost' problem.  She might be able to get more information from your security system that you might have missed... Gino-san, why don't you let the Inspector sleep in your quarters?"

"W-What?!"

 _Shion would have killed for a photo of that expression!  To think he'd lose his composure so quickly... Gino-san, you'll be found out in no time if you let yourself get flustered so easily~_ "I have to consult with Shion, otherwise, I'd let her stay with me.  Shimotsuki-san and Hinakawa-san are both tied up in the office doing work, and Akane-san isn't familiar enough with Sugo-san to take a break in his quarters.  She needs a good couch or bed to sleep in and she won't get that in the lounge."

"O-Oh, you don't have to!  I'll be fine after I finish this cup of'--"

"... Uh, no... it's fine.  You need to sleep, Tsunemori-san.  Besides, I can't act without a supervisor anyways, so I'll take my work back to my room and work there while you rest up."


	3. Backdoor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Never leave your back door open, lest you wish to expose yourself and become vulnerable to the attacks of outside forces. Nobuchika knew that better than anyone, and yet...

The last woman in his room was Aoyanagi, Ginoza remembered.  It was an unfamiliar feeling: having another presence, let alone a female one, in his private domicile.  He was used to being on his own.  His dogs were the only other creatures he interacted with on a friendly basis-- his pets, not his "hunting dogs."  So when he invited Aoyanagi in, he didn't know what to think or expect.  While he knew her for a while, he had never really got to sit with her alone very often.  When they did, they either shot sly digs at one another or were purely professional, one or the other.  During their last meeting, however, he allowed himself to relax a bit-- he hadn't done that in a while.  Drinking was never his thing, but when he did, it would be something hard.  He thought,  _Talking over drinks, that's something old friends would do, right?_ He was glad she chose tea.  It was a reminder of sorts, one made unconsciously to remind them both that they should not deviate too far from their professional relationship.  They both knew the consequences of that, that in a profession as dangerous and tide-shifting as theirs, interpersonal relationships bred in their workplace were either doomed to fail or end in mourning. _  
_

In that respect, Tsunemori and Aoyanagi were two very different women in his room.

Tsunemori had a habit of disarming Ginoza.  She was very unaware of the affect she had on him, which made it worse.  With Aoyanagi, he was reminded quite often of the lines he shouldn't cross when it came to mingling in the workplace.  With Tsunemori, he felt as if he had forgotten all that he taught himself over the years.  He found the facade he built crumble to dust around her.

So when she entered his room, Ginoza suddenly became quite... nervous... though he masked it well.

"You can put your shoes there.  I'll take your jacket.  Oh, and forgive me for the mess."

"Thanks, Ginoza-san.  And what mess?  This is just as I imag-- Eeh?!  You have a dog?!  I didn't know they allowed Enforcers to keep pets..."

Akane strode by him and excitedly made a beeline for Dime.  Sighing, Ginoza tried to focus his thoughts.

"They usually do not, unless they serve a purpose-- like for therapy."

She completely tuned him out.

"... Inspector, would you like something to drink?  Water, maybe? I can get tea ready for you..."

Akane giggled as Dime panted in her face and attempted to lick her cheek.  "Haha-- oh, do you have wine?  Wine would be nice!"

"W-Wine?"

Akane gave Dime a pat on the head before standing up and turning to smile at Ginoza.

"Why not?  It gets me somewhat sleepy, to be honest.  With the coffee I drank not to long ago, a nice strong wine should help me nod off!"

 _What kind of logic is that?!  I didn't even offer wine... how rude._ "... Fine.  But drink responsibly, Inspector.  While you are taking a break, you are still in your workplace and--"

"You sound like your my superior!"

"... I once was, Tsunemori-san."

Silence.

_Shit.  That was supposed to be funny.  Was it not funny?  Damn it._

"Sorry, Ginoza-san.  I didn't mean--"

"Forget it.  My sense of humor has always been pretty dry, to say the least."

She smiled.   _Thank god._

Motioning for the couch, Ginoza then made his way to the kitchen area and browsed his paltry liquor cabinet.  Whiskey from his father's collection, a spiced rum, coffee liqueur, a bottle of sake, and plum wine.

"Will plum wine suffice?"

"I've never had it, but I'll try!"

Ginoza grabbed the bottle and two lowball glasses, dropped two ice cubes in each, and walked over to the couch, setting everything on the coffee table.  Akane watched as he poured the wine and in turn, he watched her ever-so-carefully.  She didn't look her age at all, but maybe that was just because he watched her grow from a wobbling baby deer to a strong-willed doe.  It was hard to see her as anything but a child; he was twice her size and their age difference was apparent.  Pouring out a glass of wine to share with her felt awkward.  Nothing like how he felt with Aoyanagi.  They were clearly different.

Aoyanagi was a tall, fit woman.  Strong arms, strong legs, strong face, especially her eyes.  Even that asymmetrical haircut of hers exuded a sharpness and strength about her.  She was distinctly feminine, however.  You would never mistake her for "one of the guys," even when she trained.  She could go toe-to-toe with Shinya back in the day; she was the only person to defeat Kogami in a sparring match, but it was only once that it happened.  Nonetheless, she was strong enough to hold her own in a field dominated by men.

Tsunemori was petite and slender.  She had a girlish charm to her, soft features, but strong legs and shoulders.  She was definitely a runner and her cardio payed off in the form of being quite agile.  Aoyanagi lost to her there-- she was more brutish in nature compared to Akane.  She was feminine as well, but had a much younger feel.  Her clear Psycho Pass was a nod at her childlike purity; innocent and doe-eyed.  Contrary to her appearance, she was a force to be reckoned with.  Her voice never wavered and there were times she spoke or acted with a wisdom way beyond her years or their time.  Her presence was unique to their field-- a refreshing and calming presence in a workplace of high tension.  She too, held her own in her own, unique way.

Even though Tsunemori was older, it still felt like he was serving drinks to a minor.  He watched her pick up the drink, slender and delicate fingers wrapping around the glass.  The glass perspired a bit and he watched a bead slide from the rim to the tip of her pinky finger, melding with her skin.  She flung the drink to her lips as if she were in a dive bar somewhere trying to forget something, but drank it slow and steady.  Her throat muscles clenched and unclenched, letting the liquid go down in small gulps.  Ginoza felt himself swallow and came back to his senses.  He shoved the drink down-- he had not tried to plum wine before either, it was a gift from Shion and Yayoi upon his moving into the Enforcers' dormitory (" _We know you must be depressed, being demoted and all, so here's a drink on us, your former lapdogs!  You look like a lightweight though, so drink this slowly and carefully, okay?  - S &Y")_\-- it was surprisingly sweet and smooth going down.

"Woah... that was delicious!  Another glass, please!"

Ginoza blinked, confused.  The liquor had not gone all the way down, but he could feel it slowly creeping up on his cheeks.  Yet, there she was, asking for more as if it didn't faze her.

Four glasses later and he was starting to worry.

Three glasses after that and he was _fully_ and _utterly_ drunk.

His junior-turned-superior?  As clear as her Hue.

"Ah, Ginoza-san, it's almost done!  Sorry!"

"O-Oh... that's a problem... we'll need more, huh?"

"Oh don't worry-- I need to fall asleep, right?  I'll nod off soon enough!"

Akane barely wobbled for less than two seconds before sauntering over to Dime's pen.  He immediately got up from his resting spot and bounded to the side of the pen, jumping to lick her hands.

"Can I let him out?"

"Mmh-hmm."

He watched as Dime jumped all over her legs and stood up on her, nuzzling into her hands.  She eventually collapsed to the ground and let him pile wet, sloppy kisses on her.  The sight was... _annoying._  Ginoza smirked to himself.

_I've officially hit rock-bottom.  Wow.  I'm jealous of a damn dog.  How is that possible?_

"Oi, Dime!  Back to your bed... _I already had competition from one wolf-dog... don't need more._.."

Akane laughed and pushed Dime away, then sighed and let her head fall backwards, eyes closed.  Ginoza watched her with half-lidded eyes straying where they probably should not.   _Definitely should not._

Her shirt was a bit disheveled from all the movement, her top button undone, collar flared up on one side, flattened on the other.  The way she threw her head back gave him a good view of her throat.   _Soft.  It looks soft.  The skin there..._

He pushed a grim thought from his head; a flashback to the Makishima Shogo case... he was scared at the time, more for his junior officer than himself, the others... even society at the time.  After seeing the way Makishima killed her friend, he couldn't help but imagine if Akane had fallen into their trap rather than Kogami... if her throat would have been slit like that in front of him.

He shook the vile thought away.  He let his eyes wander again.  Down her shoulder to her arms, then her hands.  Slender yet strong hands, they fit the Dominator much better than when she first held it.   _Her hands were meant to hold other things_ , he told himself.   _Things like pens, purse-handles, cell phones... animals, children, babies... other people, maybe?  Definitely._ He wondered how her hands would feel on him.  Touching his face, caressing it.  Her fingertips on his lips, sliding down his chest, wrapping around his...  _No._ _  
_

_Disgusting.  I'm disgusting._

_She deserves better than that.  Better than me._

His eyes betrayed him.  Her leg darted out from beneath her pencil skirt.  Nowadays, she opted for wearing thin stockings underneath her skirts but today was an exception-- maybe a sign of her forgetting due to her tiredness and anxiety.  Her ankles were exposed.  Creamy, pale skin, curving over the bone.  It'd lead to the heel of her foot, then all the way up to her toes.   _... What exactly am I thinking about?_

Sex.

He was thinking about sex.

Not with just Akane.  In general.

He liked to think he never thought about it like other men do.  At least not as constant.   _Sex is a distraction,_ Ginoza always told himself,  _sex is a distraction that you don't need or particularly want right now... or ever, really._ Once, his father tried to ask him about it, in the most fatherly way possible, of course.

 

> _"Gino-san... I was wondering... you don't really have any women in your life, do you?"_
> 
> _"Why ask something so pointless?  I know some women."_
> 
> _"Haha, no, I know... I mean women... you know~ a good woman!  A father always worries about his son settling down and starting a famil--" _
> 
> _"Shut up!  What gives you the right to ask me a question like that?!"_
> 
> _"..."_
> 
> _"... No, I-I... I don't..."_
> 
> _"... Aah, I see.  Hehe... you know, maybe it'll be good for you... finding a good woman, I mean.  Your mother did wonders for me--"_
> 
> _"Yeah, and you betrayed her.  Us.  And you devastated her."_
> 
> _"I know... I know.  But you know what?  I'll never forget the love she showed me... she had enough love in her heart to clear my Hue a thousand times over... just wish I let her in more..."_
> 
> _"..."_
> 
> _"Oi, Nobuchika?  Find a good woman one day, you hear?  One worth fighting and dying for.  One you never feel worthy of having, but are damn glad you have.  One who'll give you a handsome son that you'll raise ten-- no, a hundred times better than your old man, right?!  Hehe..."_

Masaoka tried to lecture him on what a good woman was... and what bad women were.  He let him prattle on until it got to the touchy subject of the birds and bees-- he was way to old to her that from his old man so he quickly silenced him.  But the talk spurred the gears in his head and later, then gears in his groin.  Women, "good" or "bad," all had _that_ part of them.  Aoyanagi flaunted herself around him in their younger days as a way of teasing him-- it worked.  He got flustered and Kogami and the others would joke at his expense.  Shion used to try and do it too, but he had learned to hide his reactions from the others by that point. _  
_

He forgot all of that around Tsunemori Akane.  He resorted to his boyhood self, shy and flustered, tense in their presence.  As Akane's eyes opened, he averted his own gaze and focused more on the pressing matter _pressing_ on his pants zipper.

"A-Ah, I'll be in the bathroom... couch is all yours.  Please get some rest now."

"Okay.  Ah!  Ginoza-san?"

He turned away from her, afraid of what she might see and embarrassed with himself.  He could feel her stare and he almost wanted to turn and meet hit with equal intensity, but stopped himself.

"... Yeah?"

"Thank you."

He nodded and walked as fast as he could to the privacy of the bathroom.  "He must be drunk by now... of course he has to pee..." he heard her mutter aloud to herself.   _Man, she must think I'm some loser lightweight... should have drank more with Kogami... should have toughened up to it like him..._

_Like him._

_Him._

The jealousy crept into his flesh again like a worm.

* * *

 

 

After washing his face repeatedly, Ginoza felt comfortable enough to exit the bathroom-- only to see his supervising Inspector sprawled out on the ground sleeping.  ...  _Idiot._ _  
_

The sight was more hilarious than it was arousing, and he was glad for that.  He knelt beside her and nudged her arm with his own.

"Oi.  Oii.  Inspector Tsunemori."

"Hmmm-mmhn... one more minute, Candy..."

"..."

Sighing, Ginoza nudged her once more but it didn't start her.  In the end, he relented and attempted to pick her up but felt himself seize right before touching her.   _My arm..._

The prosthetic was something he now barely paid mind to.  It was just his arm to him, but to others it was somewhat strange.  Ice-cold, clean metal.  Something like that touching a sleeping person would wake them up with a start, he thought.  His gloves were in his coat pocket, unfortunately.

Regardless, leaving her on the ground would not be any good either.  He picked her up bridal style, trying to keep the cold metal of his prosthetic away from the nape of her neck.  At first, he turned to set her down on the couch but as he felt her chest move slowly and her body relax, he felt bad for putting her on something that she might fall out of.  So he did the silly thing and put his superior to sleep in  _his bed._

 _... Why am I doing this?  Why?!_ He set her down gently, watching to see if her facial expressions would change and she'd wake.  Nothing.  Soft snoring, barely parted lips, eyes shut tight.   _Cute._

What a dangerous thought.

Inspector Akane Tsunemori was cute.

_Very cute.  That idiot..._

Smiling to himself, Ginoza resolved to get his work done at the desk in the room and to remind her to tell him the full story of why she hadn't slept.  He'd be there for her--  _Unlike him, who abandoned us.  I'll hear her concerns... I'll help her through them... and in turn, maybe we'll rely on each other the way she did with..._

_No._

Jealousy was a bitch.

* * *

 

"She said that the girl came in through a back door?"

"Right."

"Hmm..."

The quick clacking of a keyboard and whirring of machinery reverberated throughout the room as Yayoi watched Shion pull up some files.

"The data I got from her surveillance system shows that after Akane enter her apartment at 3pm yesterday, the doors had not been opened until she left to come here for work today at 6am.  All three security locks were in place on the front door, and the balcony door's lock was also operational.  No gaps in security at any point from what the data shows."

"Hmm.  So you think she was imagining it?"

"... You think she has cameras in her apartment?"

"Don't know.  Would be weird... but then again, Akane-san is very cautious as of late, so I wouldn't say no to the idea of her installing her own camera security in her apartment."

"I'll run a check for it... ah, bingo~!"

Two hidden cameras, one above her entryway and another in the bookcase of her living room.  Shion played the video and audio playback on both but slowed it down when Akane entered her living room with the knife.

"What the..."

The conversation Akane has with the "girl" continues... but there's nothing in the camera but Akane.  Suddenly she drops her weapon and is pulled down, but she lurches back and falls to the ground, reaching for the knife.  She turns suddenly, as if trying to slash at something, but nothing is there. Nothing was ever there.

Yayoi and Shion exchange confused glances before turning back to the video.

"A ghost?  Really?  But her Hue is so clear!  She's really a monster, huh?  Maybe that's why it doesn't affect her Psyche so much... they have something in common!"

"Shion, that's not funny."

"Rii~ight!  Sorry!  But this is weird..."

"Hmm... back door.  A back door... maybe... no..."

Yayoi pauses, thinking.  Shion spins the chair to face her, cocking her head to the side in confusion.

"What is it, Yayoi-chan?"

"A backdoor.  Could the "ghost" be referring to not a physical backdoor, but a metaphysical one?  Like her mind?  Maybe it really is a hallucination from stress?  She doesn't really have a Stress Care regimen, does she?  Could the "ghost" be a manifestation of that?"

"... You think she's crazy then, Kunizuka?"

"No... but there's no other way to put rationale behind all this.  If this video was shown to the chief, she'd revoke Tsunemori-san's rights as an Enforcer and have her committed to a Stress-Care Facility for sure!"

"I see... hmm..."

After a few more minutes of deliberation, Shion turns back to the video and rewinds, then watches the scene unfold again.

"... AH!  There!"

"Hmm?"

Shion points at the screen with excited eyes.

"I just thought of something witty!  Your idea may not be so wrong-- change your approach!  Not a metaphysical backdoor... but a very real one!  One that we cannot see but still exists-- a computer!"

Yayoi's eyebrows could lift off her forehead at the rate she let them climb.

"A back door.  In computing, "back doors" exist as a method of bypassing standard authentication and/or securing remote access to a computer while going undetected!  Akane-chan sure has a lot of computer equipment, right?  I wonder if she changed the default password on all of her devices or if she installed anything weird lately..."

Some more keyboard-clacking ensues and-- "BII~NGO!  She hasn't reset the password on her Holo- Assistant since the move!  No good, Akane-chan, no good!"

"So are you saying whatever was in the room was really there, but was in the form of a Hologram we couldn't see on the security camera?"

"It probably got in through there and hacked the cameras' lenses so it would remain undetected in the house.  No wonder it didn't set off alarms..."

"So... what now?"

The women, while excited about their possible uncovering of a mystery, now had another issue: how to explain this to the others without looking crazy and whether or not to report the incident to the chief or at least to Inspector Shimotsuki.

Yayoi sighed and fell into an empty chair beside her lover.  Shion, taking a drag on a cigarette, shrugged her shoulders and stretched.

"Well... I suppose we can give Gino-chan some alone time with Akane-chan before we tell her the good news about her ghost~"

"Hmm... I wonder how they're doing..."

"Probably better than us right now~ hmm... all this "ghost" talk makes me want to haunt you a little bit too, Kunizuka-chaa~aan!"

"Oh?  Then haunt away."


End file.
